Do we not all go through phases of change and trying out a new look? Some spend hours to find the latest fashion item and others hit the beauty salon or hairdresser.

Change is good and every female will agree that a new outfit will lift the spirit. A visit to the beauty salon to be pampered for an hour is gold for the soul and a real treat [always ask and investigate what products they will use on your body].

So how about the hairdresser? Yes, we need a regular haircut especially if you have short hair like I do. But then there are all the extra services and most of them involve chemicals which we allow to be placed very closely to our body so they can soak in and penetrate nicely to overwrite our own personal beauty.

Of cause I have tried hair dyes during my wild years and went through different red/burgundy shades over to light and dark brown. If you try to save money and go for the DIY the end results can be sometimes a ‘whoops’ eye opener as it happened to me but that’s a different story.

Have you ever wondered if the chemical cocktail mixed specially for you could affect your health? Well, as per research it does.

Chemicals in oxidative hair dyes can contain cancer causing compounds called secondary amines. They not only penetrate into the hair but as well into the skin and can stay there for weeks, month or years. Once those chemicals get in contact with other environmental toxins like exhaust fumes or cigarette smoke a reaction can take place and N-nitrosamines are formed which rank highly on the poisonous chemical scale.

I stopped dyeing my hair years ago and now proudly wear my silver sparkles these days. Being healthy is not just about what you eat, how much you exercise or what supplements you take. You need to look at all aspects and remove and avoid as many toxins as you can around your body.

Some studies have reported an increased cancer risk for people using permanent hair dye leaving them with breast or ovarian cancer, brain cancer, leukaemia, multiple myeloma, bladder cancer or brain tumours.

Hair dye has a very strong smell which is nothing like a natural healthy smell at all. Not only are we soaking the crown of our head in the chemicals, no we are as well breathing it intensely in. There is the compulsory 25-30 minutes we have to stick around before the wash off. If you are a person with normal breathing parameters you are looking at 360 breaths but if you have dysfunctional breathing you can easily multiply 360 by 2 or 3 [720/1080]. The smell even stays with you after you left the salon and are on the way home.

Always ask questions and be informed regarding the products used on you. Go for alternative and natural ingredients whenever possible.